A Fast Learner
by intstebri
Summary: S1, ML. My gift for Annie, in the Christmas in July Challenge. The way I would have loved to end S1.  Just edited to correct some remaining errors
1. Chapter 1

**This is the story for Annie for the _Christmas in July Challenge_.**

Annie's wishes were:

1)Some angst, but not too much (check)  
2)Dynamic as in S1 (check)  
3)Alec if poss with above (_woups!)_

Annie's non-wished were:

1)Virus (check)  
2)Children - spot the teacher!- (check)

I hope you will enjoy it, Annie!

A very very big 'THANK YOU' to **Lisa** to have corrected the remaining errors!

In replacement of 'And Jesus Brought A Casserole' ...

* * *

**A FAST LEARNER**

**Chapter 1: Overhearing**

Zack ducked behind some garbage as the two guys were walking toward him and as neither of them stopped to catch him, he released the breath he had been holding and started worrying about what he just overheard.

He had been following Lydecker since his last escape from Manticore, led by one of Lydecker's numerous rules: Always keep an eye on your enemy.

But now he would have to let Lydecker go in order to concentrate on the news which he had just overheard.

The news increased his anger and his worries.

The next time he got hold of Max, he would give her what she deserves for fooling her brother.

What was that implant thing these guys were talking about? Why in hell didn't Max warn him about it? And, above all, what was the special metallic alloy of the implant which would allow this guy to find her?

Zack's thoughts were spinning as he was already planning the next few hours and a short list was elaborated in is mind while he was leaving the street noodle place.

1)Find Max

2)Kill Max

3)Ask Max about the implant

4)Torture Max to get the answer

5)Bring Max out of this fucking town

6)Kill Max

Okay, maybe some items would have to be erased from the list before I find her, but I'm going to make her pay for it… Zack thought on his way to her place.

He felt a bit of relief, having seen his own hands around Max's neck in his mind, and he finally managed to settle down his temper and slip his soldier's armor on.

But she won't get away with it…

Although distracted by his acidic inner comments, Zack was analyzing the conversation he had witnessed a few minutes ago.

Lydecker was meeting a guy, plotting to trade an in vitro embryo accompanied with some data from Manticore to put his dirty hands on Max's location. His partner in crime, called Zakes, had sworn that he was able to track her down with an implant she had gotten God knows how. And only this Zakes knew the alloy it contained, as Lydecker had let the man keep his secret.

As the thought crossed his mind, Zack turned on his heel and gazed around the place, cursing himself for having let the man leave without finding out what he knew.

Must have been because I was so damn angry, like only Max knows how to make me…

Zack shrugged off his guilt and headed toward Max's place.

The entire conversation these men had just shared was looping in his head. It didn't quite make sense yet, but Zack had got some clues from their words.

'…_my kids perform fine without sticking some gizmo in their brain to rev them up.' _Lydecker had said.

'_She's got one of our implants.'_

'_The point is, the mechanism is made of a metallic alloy that returns a distinctive signature when hit with an electromagnetic signal.'_

And the worst: '_We can find her for you._ _We'll have her home for you in no time._' Zakes had finally stated, his voice betraying how confident he was…

Zack revved up his engine as these words were swimming endlessly in his mind, barely disturbed by some thoughts concerning Max's murder. By his own bare hands…

Upon arrival at what could barely be called Max's _apartment_, he carelessly pushed the door down, not bothering at all about the lock. Screaming her name all around the place, Zack in turn was only rewarded by silence from the apartment and muffled howls from the neighbors. When his eyes fell on the clock in the living room, he sighed heavily and retreated toward the broken door to leave. According to the time displayed on the clock, he should find her at Crash.

Fortunately, the ride to the Crash allowed his fury to melt a little bit, leaving only worry lingering within him. A good thing for Max.

When he walked into the noisy place, Zack had regained his control and was quietly scanning the folk inside the place.

"Where is this _scatterbrained_ sister…?" He mumbled to himself, realizing that, perhaps, he wasn't as cool as he previously thought he was.

Another angry sigh escaped him at the lack of Max's presence in the crowd and he was about to leave when he caught a glimpse of OC out of the corner of his eye. Without missing a beat, he made his way toward Max's roommate and, not waiting for her to acknowledge his presence, he yelled at her.

"Where Max?"

Original Cindy jumped, startled by his sudden appearance more than by his yelling, which was barely audible above the surrounding noise. Her rebukes died upon her lips the moment she recognized Max's brother.

"What happened? Why are you looking for her?"

"I don't have time to fill you in, tell me where she is."

"Logan's."

Zack's face darkened and OC would have laughed if his presence wasn't betraying another threat for her boo. Zack's prickly expression each time he had to face Max's attraction to Logan let OC thoughtful for a moment and she almost missed Zack's departure.

"Wait, Sam! Wait!" she screamed while she was running after him.

Zack stopped and looked at her, wondering if she could be of any help before grabbing her arm to drag her out.

"I told you, my name is Zack" He uttered sharply.

"Nevermind, boy, will you tell me what happen?"

"Max is in danger. I have to get her out of this town. Now. You have to come with me and pack her things." Zack replied without giving her any details. But OC freed her arm from his grip and stood in front of him urging him to explain the situation in more detail.

"We don't have time to fight," Zack cut as she was opening her mouth. "Make your mind up. You come or I go alone."

"If it wasn't for Max…" conceded Cindy " Go ahead, I'm in."

Zack handed her his helmet and they climbed onto his motorbike to ride towards her place. The noise of the engine prevented OC from questioning him further, she just held unto and circled his waist in silence.

Never had a ride seemed so short to OC. Zack drove so fast that she was forced to tighten her grip and close her eyes to fight off the slight panic she was feeling. She was rather wobbly when they arrived in front of her building and Zack had to help her climb up the stairs.

The sigh of the front door widely open made her gasp and, for the first time, Zack looked like he was a little embarrassed and he explained it was his feat. But a second later, he just pushed his faint abashment aside and told her to hurry up. Original Cindy frowned, but than let it go and headed for Max's room.

"Okay boy, who's after Max? Manticore? " She asked while packing Max's things, smirking at the sound of Zack's sharp intake of breath. Obviously, he was surprised at the knowledge she had of this slight detail concerning Max. Quite the obvious, he was doing exactly what Max had expected him to do: cursing at what Fate had provided him, a sibling as reckless as Max was.

"Where did that come from? What's Manticore?" Zack was trying to fool her, feeling his ire rise one more time.

"Don't lie. Just spill it. Who's haunting my boo? The Reds? Manticore? Who?"

"Who are the Reds?" Asked Zack, promptly, frowning at the name.

"Boy, you're surely know your sister, huh? " teased Cindy. "The Reds are a bunch of guys tracking her down for the purpose of using her ovaries and creating an army with them. They plan to put their implants in each of her babies and make them invincible."

Zack gulped his fury at this; anger being just a waste of time. If OC already knew about the implant and, as she seemed to know more things that even he knew, he then dropped his guard and started talking more freely.

"I heard about this implant, it is made with a special alloy they can traced. They plan to start the tracing tomorrow and if she doesn't leave now, they'll be able to catch her."

Cindy handed him the backpack she had already filled with Max's personal items.

"What are you still doing here, boy?"

Zack grabbed the backpack and turned toward the door without uttering a word.

"_Must be Max's influence cause this girl to be so witty."_ he thought while running down the stairs.

* * *

_**TBC...**_


	2. Chapter 2: A pleasant evening

**Chapter 2: Pleasant evening**

Logan was sitting in front of the chessboard on the coffee table, one ear listening what was happening in the kitchen. Not that he didn't trust Max to do the clean-up, but he was always slightly nervous when she was there alone. He couldn't help it since the day she had broken a mug, some weeks ago.

And as some loud noises were reaching him from the kitchen at this moment, he couldn't help thinking that she was doing her best to keep him nervous, in purpose!

Logan still didn't understand how she had managed to drop this mug. When the mug had hit the floor, he had wheeled himself in the kitchen alerted by the sudden noise to find her standing in the middle of the place, motionless, the mug lying on the floor broken into parts. When he had asked what had happened, she had just winced and he had never gotten any answer from her. Memory of that day was still puzzling him.

_Maybe tonight might be time to question her?_

She was making her way in the living room with two, fortunately still unbroken, mugs as he has just finished to set down the chess game. Strangely, when she leaned towards the coffee table to put down the mugs, she glanced at him with a spark flashing in her eyes and Logan could swear that she knew exactly what he was thinking when she appeared.

It was enough for him to feel his cheeks blushing.

It was enough for Max to be sure that her intentional noises have been achieving their goal.

They shared one of their unfathomable smiles, knowing that, whatever would be discussed this evening, neither of them would mention that broken mug.

Not that Logan really thought that it could be possible, anyway. They had always managed to keep their relationship free of all kind of small talk like this. And he knew that he had been the first to give up on further explorations of their feelings for each other when she came back to him after his surgery. The fact that he was starting to regret bitterly his own decision now, didn't mean that Max was willing to change anything about their relationship.

However, he couldn't help but gently tease her.

"You need some help with your mug?"

Max, who had reached the couch and was now sitting in front of him, raised a mocking eyebrow and her smile grew some more.

"I will keep it in mind."

Logan stared at her in disbelieve, what was she saying? That she would ask him later? At this moment, he didn't feel being the teaser anymore and his cheeks regained their color right away.

Max looked down, half-happy, half-ashamed. Their little flirtations always ended with one of them slightly blushing or looking away.

As Logan had given her the white pieces, she leaned towards the table and took her knight to open the game.

"Hope you're on for another defeat." She smiled at him.

"I've never given up hope of winning, someday" Logan replied with another smile of his own.

"Yes, dream on" Murmured Max in answer. "You will have to find a way to distract me to do that, just ask if you don't have any idea how. I could help."

Logan's hand froze over the chessboard. She had not said anything really significant, but her tone was wrapped with warmth and just suggestive enough to make his heart miss a beat. He was weighting whether he should forge ahead or retreat safely into any other topic. A flash crossed his mind and he wondered if, after all, he was wrong about her desire to keep their relationship in its present state.

Still holding his pawn, Logan looked at Max questioningly, holding his breath. She had cocked her head and was biting her bottom lip nervously, afraid to have pushed too hard. Once again. Logan couldn't swear, but it seem that it was her turn to blush and, somewhere, it delighted him and his questioning look melted into a soft and warm glance.

Locked in a stare, they forgot the chess, letting their eyes share their most intimate wishes without words. No need of words when they were staring at each other like this; in these treasured moments their eyes were saying everything they couldn't say out loud.

If only they could learn to trust in the promises fluttering in their eyes…

Maybe it was the wine they had drunk with the meal, maybe it was the perfect evening they had shared since then, maybe it was the last words Max had just uttered or maybe it was just because her hand was lying beside the chessboard and because he was feeling so good to have her with him that night. Logan couldn't say. But he dropped his pawn somewhere between two squares of the chessboard and took her hand in his to squeeze it softly.

His touch sent tremors on Max's spinal cord.

Not that they had never touched before, but rarely without reason. As when they have to save each other from any threat, or when she was craving for him to comfort her when she was seizing. This time, It was a completely spontaneous gesture, seeking nothing else than a need to touch her, to reach out to her. Max felt it and, delighted by his gesture, she entwined their fingers softly.

Max's acceptance and happiness lighted a little flame within Logan. He pressed her hand slightly and gently caressed her with his fingertips.

Describe their feelings at this simple touch was barely possible.

Max had been frozen at first, then she had felt shivers along her arm reaching her core. Her heart had made a quick stop to restart in a new crazy beat. She was only aware of the small piece of skin of her hand in Logan's.

Logan had been holding his breath while taking Max's hand in his. Being so quickly and easily welcomed had raised the fever now running through his veins. All his thoughts were bewitched by his closeness with Max. He couldn't talk, he couldn't think, he was just left to feel. And the feeling was wonderful.

They could have stayed like that forever, neither of them ready to broke apart, to lose their closeness.

'_I want to tell you, Max… I want to tell you so much...' _Were saying Logan's eyes.

'_Never give upon me Logan, never…' _Were answering Max's.

Yes, they would have stayed like this forever… If it hadn't been the sight of Zack, appearing beside them at this moment

"Zack! What are you doing here?" Max stood up and looked at the sudden invader, embarrassed to have been caught in such a moment. Above all, by her big brother. She gave Logan an apologetic glance as she released her hand he was still holding, although she had risen. And she fell again in his eyes, losing herself once again, not surprise to read the annoyance laying there, deep down, and remorsful to share his annoyance.

"Don't you have something to tell me, Max? " Asked Zack sarcastically, annoyed that they weren't acknowledging his presence better.

Max tore her gaze from Logan to stare at Zack, puzzled by both his tone and his words.

"What do you mean?" She replied questioningly.

"The Implant" Zack shouted, angry that she was still trying to fool him.

Max and Logan shared a quick glance, astonished.

"How do you know that?" Logan uttered slowly, narrowing his eyes to stare at him. But Zack didn't bother to look at him, nor to answer, until Max raised an eyebrow.

"Lydecker. He can track down the implant."

Zack had tried to keep his voice low and as neutral as possible; this was only informations needing to be shared. He didn't want to let them see his concern. But he looked away just a bit too quickly when Max's eyes widened. He had thought that she would be able to take it coldly, but seeing that she was scared didn't allow him to remain angry at her anymore.

"We have to leave, Max. Now. " Zack urged her, his soldier manner gone through the window. His voice was almost begging.

The two siblings were staring at each other, and Logan could see the same old battle growing between Max and her CO. Supplication slipped away of Zack's eyes, pushed aside by the fury rising within him, once again, as she was unashamedly defying him. Max's fear quickly replaced by the stubborn gaze she showed every time Zack was trying to push her away of Seattle. They were standing in front of Logan, motionless, wordlessly fighting to get abdication from the other.

And Logan knew that neither would capitulate this time. However, Zack was right, if Lydecker had found a way to retrace her, she had to leave. She wouldn't agree with Zack if he didn't ask her to do. So, Logan wispered in the silent room:

"Max… we will find a way to bring you back. But for now, Zack is right, you have to follow him."

Logan couldn't say who was the most stunned of the two transgenics. Zack was looking like if he needed a pinch to believe what he had just heard and Max... Max was staring at him as if he had betrayed her, taking sides with Zack.

It was Max now, using a pleading tone. "Logan…" She began, but Logan cut her off as soon as she opened her mouth.

"No Max. No plead. It's dangerous here for you now. I will bring you to my uncle's cabin. It's our best move in such a little time."

Max bowed her head, suddenly very interested bye her shoes. Neither Logan, nor Zack, could see the deseperated flash crossing her eyes. She found her voice to breathe out in agreement:

"I should go to my place and pick my things."

Zack lifted a hand which was holding the pakage he was carrying

"Done." He said without further explanations.

Max saw his gesture but didn't utter a word as Logan simply nodded, relieved that he took care of this detail. Unlocking his breaks, he headed towards his office, throwing quick orders at them over his shoulder as they started to follow him.

"Max, go in the kitchen and take whatever you would need for a couple of days. There is an icebox in the closet you could use to keep perishable food. Zack, in my bathroom, you will find a bottle of Tryptophane under the sink and a first-aid kit. Take it and start packing the car. I have to check something on the Informant Net and call Bling to tell him what's happening."

Leaving them no room to discuss his orders, Logan dialed Bling's phone number while starting the computers. He could feel both of them still behind him and seeing their figures bolted to the ground mirrored in the dark screen of his computer, Logan sternly added:

"Hurry up, guys!"

Zack turned on his heels and headed towards Logan's bedroom, his pace showing he was shirty. But once in the room, realising how Logan had made it easy for him to achieve the second phase of his plan, he smiled and put himself at work while Max's hot temper was sounding through the penthouse.

A few minutes later, they were on their way down to the garage ready to get in the car.

Logan had thought that this trip to his uncle's cabin would be like the previous, filled of sorrow and pain to have to be separate from Max and unable to say nothing out loud because of Zack's presence on the back seat. But when he saw the big brother heading towards his own bike he wondered if, perhaps, without him sitting at the rear and peeping on their conversation he would say too much.

As convinced as he could be that Max's retreat would be temporary, Logan couldn't help but feel sadness overtaking him. For the second time in just a couple of weeks, he would have to leave her with Zack. One more chance for her brother to convince her to leave Seattle for good. What if she finally gave up and follows him in Canada this time? He couldn't restrain her. He couldn't. It was about her security, her freedom. Her life.

In the deepest part of his soul, he knew he could live with Max's departure if it was to keep her safe. But he also knew that his pain would be much worse than the first time. They had shared so much more things since she came back from the first time he dropped her at the cabin. They were now closer than ever, not because she had provided him with a life-saving blood transfusion, even if that was a kind of beginning, but more because of what he had realized when she had ran through the city to stop him to attempt his own life.

A reason to believe in life. A reason to keep figthing. For him. For her. For them?

He tossed the thought aside. Being more confident about his own value wasn't necessary meaning being also confident about her feelings. He still had to separate what was hope, wish and reality in their relationship before thinking further about it.

_Don't go there, man. There is no time for this now._

Focusing himself on the task at hand was one of his most impressive skills.

Usually.

But in the middle of the waiting line for the last sector point with nothing else to do than checking in the mirror to see if Zack's bike was still following them wasn't exactly distractful enough to fill his mind.

And for obvious reasons, talking with Max as Zack was so near and able to hear them was enough to get him speechless.

A quick glance at Max, who was staring at Zack through the side mirror, let him know that she was probably thinking in the same way.

He was right.

Max was fighting with herself. Hard. Well aware of Zack's skills just behind the car, she had to put all her will to keep herself emotionless, knowing he could hear her breath as easily as she was listening to his.

Being caught by her brother in an emotional state once in a day was enough for her. No use to add that this brother was the one considering any emotions as a weakness. She didn't agree with him. But she had learned enough about him to know that he wouldn't change his mind. Never. Not for her. Not with Logan. It would have been such a surprising turnabout!

Should she dream on it?

Her brain was positive. No. But it wasn't her brain the problem. It was nothing about her brain at all. She had problem with her entire being, and she had to fight it mercilessly, unendingly…

Her brain having a hard time, standing alone the other side of the line, tormented by her heart, her soul, her desire, her quintessence…

How could she agree with Zack when she was realizing, day after day, that she might never feel stronger than with Logan around? It was scaring, of course. But wasn't she designed to face any kind of fear? And win?

The cop hitting on the driver's window with his stick made them jumped, engulfed as they were in their thoughts. Logan lowered the window and handed their sector passes. They stayed silent as the cops were checking the car, looking through the rear window to sneak on their luggages. When the cop came back with their laminated cards and started to question them about the trip, Logan blushed a little bit, annoyed to have forgoten to inform Max about the lie he had built to avoid being caught if Lydecker would have to interrogate the guards.

"We are going to see my parents in Wyoming…." Logan explained to the cop, trailing on his last words, wishing the cop wouldn't ask for more details.

When the idea had showed up in his mind, he was so engulfed in finding a way to trick Lydecker that he didn't think twice about it, but now he wasn't sure it was his best idea anymore. So, when he crossed the cop's inquiring glance, he felt his cheeks redden for good. If he changed his version at this moment, he knew the cop would hear the hesitation in his voice and was going to become suspicious. That wasn't the time to drag attention on them. Left to continue on his previous lead, he looked straight at his interlocutor's eyes and answered, cursing himself to have picked this lie through the milion he could have come up with.

"To introduce my girlfriend"

If Max wasn't already trying to keep each inner and outer part of herself as impassive as ever, she couldn't have succeeded to hide the jerk she was feeling inside. The quick blink of her eyes being the only indication of her stupefaction, the cop, who was now looking at her, didn't see nothing more than the faking shy smile she was showing him.

With a last glance at Logan, the cop motioned a hand towards the gate, a smirk curving his lips. He had noticed the wheelchair on the back seat and the special controls of the Azteck. Considering the youngness and beauty of that girl, the man should have plenty of money...

Logan pushed on the manual accelerator, allowing himself to throw a glance at Max. He was relieved that she was still looking through the mirror by her side, but the relief was shorted by Zack's glare when Logan lifted his head to look at him in the rearview, suddenly remembering the skill which had prevent any talk with Max since they had left the penthouse.

Zack was the first to break their glance, the cop requesting his attention, and Logan diverted his on the road. He was about to pass the gate when a soft and silky laughter reached him. The sound raised a shiver, as soft as the laughter had been itself, within Logan... and his curiosity!

"What was that about?" He asked gently.

"His answer to the officier." Answered Max as gently, still wandering about the 'girlfriend' thought.

"What did he say?"

"That he was following his sister to prevent her to make the most biggest mistake of her life!"

_**TBC...**_


	3. Chapter 3: On the road again

**Chapter 3: On the road again**

They were driving for a while when Logan caught a glimpse of Zack behind them. He was gunning his engine powerfully, like if he was trying to reach them as fast as possible. The sight of his bike, running full speed behind the car, then beside, and finally taking the lead, made him mumbled something sounding like 'Now what?'.

Max was staring at Zack, who had begun to make signs with his hand.

"He will check the cabin before our arrival." She translated for Logan when the quick motions ended.

There was virtually no chance that someone would be waiting for them at the cabin, Logan knew it and so did Max. Zack too, by the way, and he must be aware that Logan knew he knew...

"Is he angry?" Queried Logan

Max's answer came right back, almost in a reflex.

"It's Zack."

"I had assumed he would be happy to take you away. Wherever you will end…" Logan had tried to keep it light, but he failed miserably and Max could hear a faint vestige of uncertainty transpiring underneath his words. She diverted her gaze from the small bike now far away in front of them to take a look at Logan. He was licking his lips, a sign of his uneasiness she had learned to recognize a long time ago.

She had tried to dismiss what should happen in the next few hours since Zack's arrival at the penthouse, tried very hard, but didn't succeed.

The shadow of this new threat in their relationship was occupying all her thoughts and preventing her from finding a solution.

_I can't believe we are on this road again! _Max deplored._ Are Lydecker's ways to make a hell of my life really endless? _

Logan's frown sent a sharp tremor through her, overshadowing her fears about Lydecker and raising new scares more powerful and frightening, if that could be possible.

'_Why are you feeling so nervous, Logan? What are you not telling me? What have you decided? Have you already made up your mind? Looking for a way to tell me? What? "Just go" being already employed, you can't pick it again?'_

Max's thoughts were whirling, she knew that their friendship had increased amazingly since their last trip on this same road, but she was also well-aware that this was _still_ just a friendship.

Sure, they had almost reached a new level together when he had regained feelings in his legs after all these months stuck on the chair, but this chapter in their lifes had been so brief that they didn't achieve anything.

Sure, she had prevented him to take away his own life… or was it Mrs. Moreno's feat?

Sure, they had shared a week together, in a mockery of holidays, on the account of an unexpected Eyes-Only's investigation...

Sure, he had showed her the most intimate part of his soul with his poetry, but this evening had been so easily dismissed by the perfidy of Lydecker...

Sure, they had learned, in a terrifying way, that a Manticore's soldier could share a life with someone, but this life that Tinga had shared with her husband had been so cruelly shattered…

What's left to hold on to?

_Nothing…_ Was the answer, coming from Max in a desperate whisper. _Nothing at all._

Yes… it turned out it was possible to be more frightened by Logan's decision than by Lydecker's threat to bring her back to Manticore…

Were these last weeks, which have brought them closer than ever, enough for him to think twice before asking her to leave? Max couldn't say that much. She was still wondering if Logan felt what she was feeling inside, what was growing little by little within her.

_Probably not. _Max stated, the fear shouting in her mind, while staring at him intently.

Logan could sense Max's dire questioning. He knew she was staring at him, expectantly. What could he say? His small conversation with Sebastian didn't ended as he wished. His friend was positive: they could absolutely not remove Max's implant without causing lots damages to her neural pathways. His surgeon had estimated that her odds to make it alive were less than ten percent.

Could he tell her that?

He was burning his mind to find any other way to stop Lydecker without endangering Max.

'_Maybe they would drop their research if she stay away for a while? Maybe Zack could call her siblings to the rescue? Maybe Sebastian will be able to find a trick for this special alloy as he said?'_

What if they didn't find anything?

He couldn't believe they were on this road again.

He had tried to busy his mind, trying to find a way to protect her since Zack told them about Lydecker's plan. But he was unable to find anything, distracted by the heavy feeling that he was about to lose her.

He refused to put her in danger. As for allowing Lydecker to find her, it was absolutely not an option. He still hadn't find a way to prevent her to be caught, however, and he were scared that he would have to let her go. This thought was lingering in the back of his mind as a threat, keeping him from finding even the beginning of a solution.

He always prided himself to take the right decision, to always doing the right thing. But today it wasn't so simple. He couldn't forget the awfull sadness that had overwhelmed him when he had thought he had lost her the first time. His pain when he was in front of his window, looking at the rain dripping on it, feeling as if these drops of rain were dragging his heart gradually in small fragments with them. Downstairs. Towards the hell.

'_What if she would have to follow Zack in his far away Canada…'_

The thought hit him painfully. He almost jumped with the sudden flinch of his heart and he tightened his grip on the wheel as it escaped from his hands, leading the car to hit the edge of the road.

Sure, they had almost reached a new level together when she had provided him with her blood and allowed him to walk again, but fate didn't give him enough time to puzzle out her true feelings towards him. He berated himself to have allowed his pride to set up a new wall between them when his legs had given up at the end. How much time he had lost, running for an impossible cure while he should have stayed close to Max to try to figure out what could be possible between them.

Sure, she had been there for him, to remind him that life with a broken body could be worth when she was around. Did he told her that she was his solely reason to keep it going with his own live, back on those days? To have her around, anything was worth it.

Sure, he had thrown his moral code away when it had been time to choose between her and his ethical concerns at this cabin they had shared together, killing these guys threatening them has been the worst thing that never occurred in his life, and her brief comment had been "Sometimes you have no other choice".

Sure, he had allowed her to read his poetry, only to be rewarded by her departure, a second later… Didn't she understand that he had accepted her for what she was, a soldier, a killing machine, because he believed in her, in her wish to grow up of all this.

Sure, he had been fiercely exalted to learn that Tinga, one of her sibling, one of them, one exactly like her, had been capable to toss aside her past and face a life with a husband and even a child, but once again fate had been there to remind them that Manticore kept his soldiers from taking a chance…

What's left to to hold on to?

_Nothing,_ was the answer beating his way up to Logan's brain. _She couldn't take that risk… and I can't slow her down either…_

Max, who had been following the growing tension, so obvious on his face, didn't utter a word. She was scared of what she was seeing. For what she could say, Logan was confronting… himself.

'_Wonder who's gonna win…'_

She was scared to death that Eyes-Only could win.

She was hoping he wouldn't tell her to 'just go', again.

The memory of their last trip on this road didn't help. Was he hiding information about him again? How could she let him go when he would leave her at the cabin? Will she have to return to Seattle on her own, like the last time, to find him lying in a gloomy room in some hospital?

_Shall I remind him I will never leave?_

Then, as they reached the last turn before the cabin, an other memory came up to their exhausted minds.

The kiss.

This unforgettable kiss she had not been able to prevent from taking from him when she had thought it was their last moment together…

This wonderful kiss he had not been able to prevent from answering with all his soul before telling her to go…

The car's headlamps swept the empty driveway, allowing Logan to realize that Zack wasn't there, as Max must have seen it herself a moment earlier in the dark of the night.

Logan stopped the car in front of the stairs, the car engine running on idle and Max didn't need more explanations. He was about to drop her there. As if she could have thought otherwise…

Could her life be that dreadful?

She stayed still, holding her breath and chewing unconsciously her bottom lip, her gaze lost in the darkness far beyond the halo drawn by the headlamps. It seemed to her that her furtur would be as dark as her present surrounding. Would Logan tell her something, or would he let her go without a word? Max's best guess was that he would stay silent since every thing have been said the last time, at the same place, in front of the same cabin…

Suddenly, Max hated this cabin…

She was so sure that she would have to leave in this painful silence that she jumped badly when Logan cleared his throat, bringing a faint smile on his lips.

"I never thought that you would have to run so quickly." Logan said quietly.

"We didn't have enough time since the last time." She agreed sadely.

"Yeah…" Logan conceded and became silent again.

It was enough for Max to slowly turned her head towards him and be dismayed by the intensity of Logan's gaze. Reading, for the first time without a doubt, exactly what was expressed by his eyes, darkened with emotion: Logan was feeling the ache of their separation as powerfully as her.

They kept staring at each other, sharing the same raging soreness within them. Max raised a hand to brush his cheek as she felt her eyes fill up with tears, grieved to see the same moisture in his. They leaned towards each other, the memory of their first kiss making their pain even worse. Max couldn't stand Logan's aggrieved glance further and she closed her eyes, awaiting that their lips melt together. Their first kiss had been frenetic, driven by despair and loaded of unsaid words, this one was a gentle brush whispering about regrets and lost.

The strong and sudden noise of a slammed door made them jumped apart and Logan cursed under his breath that Zack dared to break the unwritten law specifying that he couldn't come around during their farewell.

"Come on, spare me that part, this time… " Zack said wryly while opening the trunk of the car.


End file.
